Project description:Transcriptional gene silencing (TGS) can serve as an innate immunity against invading DNA viruses throughout Eukaryotes. Geminivirus code for TrAP protein to suppress the TGS pathway. Here we identified an Arabidopsis H3K9me2 histone methyltransferase, Su(var)3-9 homolog 4 (SUVH4/KYP), as a bona fide cellular target of TrAP. TrAP interacts with the catalytic domain of KYP and inhibits its activity in vitro. TrAP elicits developmental anomalies phenocopying several TGS mutants, reduces the repressive H3K9me2 mark and CHH DNA methylation, and reactivates numerous endogenous KYP-repressed loci in vivo. Moreover, KYP binds to the viral chromatin, and controls its methylation to combat virus infection. Notably, kyp mutants support systemic infection of TrAP-deficient Geminivirus. We conclude that TrAP attenuates the TGS of the viral chromatin by inhibiting KYP activity to evade host surveillance. These findings provide new insight on the molecular arms race between host antiviral defense and virus counter defense at an epigenetic level.
Project description:In Arabidopsis, CHG DNA methylation is controlled by the H3K9 methylation mark through a self-reinforcing loop between DNA methyltransferase CHROMOMETHYLASE3 (CMT3) and H3K9 histone methyltransferase KRYPTONITE/SUVH4 (KYP). We report on the structure of KYP in complex with methylated DNA, substrate H3 peptide and cofactor SAH, thereby defining the spatial positioning of the SRA domain relative to the SET domain. The methylated DNA is bound by the SRA domain with the 5mC flipped out of the DNA, while the H3(1-15) peptide substrate binds between the SET and post-SET domains, with the epsilon-ammonium of K9 positioned adjacent to bound SAH. These structural insights complemented by in vivo functional data on key mutants of residues lining the 5mC and H3K9-binding pockets within KYP, establish how methylated DNA recruits KYP to the histone substrate. Together, the structures of KYP and previously reported CMT3 complexes provide insights into molecular mechanisms linking DNA and histone methylation.
Project description:In Arabidopsis, CHG DNA methylation is controlled by the H3K9 methylation mark through a self-reinforcing loop between DNA methyltransferase CHROMOMETHYLASE3 (CMT3) and H3K9 histone methyltransferase KRYPTONITE/SUVH4 (KYP). We report on the structure of KYP in complex with methylated DNA, substrate H3 peptide and cofactor SAH, thereby defining the spatial positioning of the SRA domain relative to the SET domain. The methylated DNA is bound by the SRA domain with the 5mC flipped out of the DNA, while the H3(1-15) peptide substrate binds between the SET and post-SET domains, with the epsilon-ammonium of K9 positioned adjacent to bound SAH. These structural insights complemented by in vivo functional data on key mutants of residues lining the 5mC and H3K9-binding pockets within KYP, establish how methylated DNA recruits KYP to the histone substrate. Together, the structures of KYP and previously reported CMT3 complexes provide insights into molecular mechanisms linking DNA and histone methylation. Plants homozygous for null mutations in the KRYPTONITE H3K9 methyltransferase were stably transformed with transgenes encoding the wildtype KYP protein or transgenes carrying induced point mutations in the KYP active site. The resulting lines were assayed for DNA methylation by whole-genome bisulfite sequencing to learn the efficiency with which wildtype and mutant versions of the KYP protein could restore DNA methylation lost in a kyp mutant. Samples 7 and 8 were run as single Illumina lanes and as such were compared to a previous Col sample (GSM881756), this Col sample was realigned to the TAIR10 genome for this study and as such updated processed files are available with this submission. These samples were used to define kyp mutant CHG context DMRs that were complemented upon introduction of the wildtype KYP protein. Samples 1-6 were run as multiplexed samples and were used to assay the degree of complementation for various point mutants. All plants are in the Col ecotype background.
Project description:Investigation of genome-wide expression in the mutant of histone H3K9 methyltransferase KRYPTONITE (KYP) or DNA methyltransferase CHROMOMETHYLASE3 (CMT3) in Arabidopsis. These mutants showed decrease in H3K9 methylation and DNA methylation levels, and transcriptional activation at transposons and repeats. Using NimbleGen DNA microarray, global pattern of expression of genes and transposons were examined in these mutants.
Project description:Bacteria harbor diverse mechanisms to defend themselves against their viral predators, bacteriophages. In response, phages can evolve counter-defense systems, most of which remain poorly understood. In T4-like phages, the gene tifA prevents bacterial defense by the type III toxin-antitoxin (TA) system toxIN, but the mechanism by which TifA inhibits toxIN remains unclear. Here, we show that TifA directly binds both the endoribonuclease ToxN and RNA, leading to the formation of a high molecular weight ribonucleoprotein complex in which ToxN is inhibited. The RNA binding activity of TifA is necessary for its interaction with and inhibition of ToxN. Thus, we propose that TifA inhibits ToxN during phage infection by trapping ToxN on cellular RNA, particularly the abundant 16S rRNA, preventing cleavage of phage transcripts. Taken together, our results reveal a novel mechanism underlying inhibition of a phage-defensive RNase toxin by a small, phage-encoded protein.
Project description:DNA methylation occurs at preferred sites in eukaryotes, although the basis for preference is not known. We use a microarray-based profiling method to explore the involvement of Arabidopsis CMT3 and DRM DNA methyltransferases, a histone H3 lysine-9 methyltransferase (KYP) and an Argonaute-related RNA silencing component (AGO4) in methylating target loci. We find that KYP targets are also CMT3 targets, suggesting that histone methylation maintains CNG methylation genome-wide. CMT3 and KYP targets show similar proximal distributions that corresponds to the overall distribution of transposable elements of all types, whereas DRM targets are distributed more distally along the chromosome. We find an inverse relationship between element size and loss of methylation in ago4 and drm mutants. Our results suggest that RNA-directed DNA methylation is required to silence isolated elements that may be too small to be maintained in a silent state by a chromatin-based mechanism. Thus, parallel pathways would be needed to maintain silencing of transposable elements. Keywords: Methylation profiling using Msp I enzyme
Project description:Heterochromatin constitutes a fundamental aspect of genomes that is crucial for maintaining genome stability. In flowering plants, maintenance of heterochromatin relies on a positive feedback loop involving the histone 3 lysine nine methyltransferase (H3K9), KRYPTONITE (KYP), and the DNA methyltransferase, CHROMOMETHYLASE3 (CMT3). An H3K9 demethylase, INCREASED IN BONSAI METHYLATION 1 (IBM1), has evolved to modulate the activity of KYP-CMT3 within transcribed genes. The absence of IBM1 activity results in aberrant methylation of gene bodies, which is deleterious. This study demonstrates extensive genetic and gene expression variations in KYP, CMT3, and IBM1 within and between flowering plant species. IBM1 activity in Arabidopsis thaliana is uniquely regulated by the abundance of H3K9me2 in a repetitive sequence within an intron preceding the histone demethylase domain. This mechanism enables IBM1 to monitor global levels of H3K9me2. We discovered that the methylated intron is prevalent across flowering plants, however, its underlying sequence exhibits dynamic evolution. Its absence in species lacking gene body DNA methylation suggests its primary role in sensing H3K9me2 and preventing its integration into these constitutively expressed genes. Furthermore, our investigation uncovered Arabidopsis thaliana accessions resembling weak ibm1 mutants, several Brassicaceae species with reduced IBM1 expression, and a potential IBM1 deletion. Evolution towards reduced IBM1 activity in some flowering plants could explain the frequent natural occurrence of diminished or lost CMT3 activity, as cmt3 mutants in A. thaliana mitigate the deleterious effects of IBM1.
Project description:Investigation of genome-wide expression in the mutant of histone H3K9 methyltransferase KRYPTONITE (KYP) or DNA methyltransferase CHROMOMETHYLASE3 (CMT3) in Arabidopsis. These mutants showed decrease in H3K9 methylation and DNA methylation levels, and transcriptional activation at transposons and repeats. Using NimbleGen DNA microarray, global pattern of expression of genes and transposons were examined in these mutants. Total RNA from leaves was isolated using the RNeasy Plant Mini kit (Qiagen) and was treated with DNase I (TAKARA). Double-stranded cDNA was synthesized using the SuperScript Double Stranded cDNA Synthesis kit (Invitrogen) and oligo (dT)20 primer. cDNA was labeled by Cy3, hybridized to 4 x 72k array, and scanned according to manufacture's instructions (www.nimblegen.com).
Project description:Purpose: The goals of this study are to compare NGS-derived transciptomes from engineered mouse tumors with activated BRAF (primary), repressed BRAF (simulating drug treatment- dormant) and tumors which escape dormant state (recurrent) Results: We found conserved expression changes in histone methyltransferase genes (HMT), including Enhancer Of Zeste 2 Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 Subunit (EZH2), Suppressor Of Variegation 3-9 Homolog 1(SUV39H1), Suppressor Of Variegation 3-9 Homolog 2 (SUV39H2), ASH2 Like, Histone Lysine Methyltransferase Complex Subunit (ASH2L), SET And MYND Domain Containing 2 (SYMD2), and Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) and histone deacetylases (HDACs) HDACS 7, 9,10, and 11.
Project description:Retrons are bacterial genetic retroelements that encode reverse transcriptase capable of producing multicopy single-stranded DNA (msDNA) and function as antiphage defense systems. Phages employ several strategies to counter the host defense systems, but no mechanisms for evading retrons are known. Here, we show that tRNATyr and Rad (retron anti defense) of T5 phage family inhibit the defense activity of retron 78 and a broad range of retrons, respectively. The effector protein of retron 78, ptuAB, specifically degraded tRNATyr leading abortive infection, but phage countervailed this defense by supplying tRNATyr. Rad inhibited retron function by degrading noncoding RNA, the precursor of msDNA. In summary, we demonstrated that viruses encode at least two independent strategies for overcoming bacterial defense systems: anti-defense, such as Rad, and defense canceler, like tRNA.